Message from the Dean

Dr. Paula Wood-Adams, Dean of Graduate Studies

Whether you’re currently registered as a graduate student or postdoctoral fellow at Concordia, have applied to one of our programs, or would simply like to know more about the possibilities for advanced degree work and training in the more than 100 programs we offer in fine arts, the humanities, social, life and natural sciences, business, engineering or computer science, welcome to Concordia University.

With more than 6000 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from over 150 countries, Concordia University embodies the vibrancy and cosmopolitanism of Montréal, a city that is known as a hub for research, learning and innovation.

We offer our students a wide range of flourishing research programs at the Master’s and PhD levels, as well as professional training and accreditation in course-based Master’s, Diploma and Certificate programs. Home to several unique niche programs, Concordia is also known as a leader for its commitment to interdisciplinary graduate studies and support for inter-university programs that expand the range of choices available to our students.

For postdoctoral fellows and research-oriented graduate students, much of what differentiates Concordia is captured by our University’s Strategic Research Plan, which places a high premium on the value of advanced training and identifies the major clusters of expertise for which Concordia is recognized nationally and internationally. Similarly, the impressive track record of graduates from our various professional programs demonstrates the relevance, marketability and value of Concordia’s degree-offerings in the highly competitive knowledge and technology economies of the 21st century.

Why is Concordia such a dynamic place for graduate and postdoctoral studies? The answer begins with people. The University is justifiably proud of our impressive roster of senior faculty, many of whom are established leaders in their respective academic fields. But the vitality of Concordia is also reflected by the reality, quite unique in North America, that more than half of our full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty have been hired in the last ten years. Similarly, we take great pride in the innovative work of our graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and actively support both their quest for knowledge, and their desire to transmit and apply their skills for the benefit of society.

Our graduate students and postdoctoral fellows also benefit from the striking investments that we have recently made, and continue to make in new buildings, state-of –the art labs, experimental exhibition spaces, smart classrooms, office and meeting spaces. The contemporary design of our research and teaching spaces is an integral expression of our commitment to creating a physical environment that can sustain the production of learning and knowledge in the 21st century.

So I encourage you to take this opportunity to further explore what Concordia can offer in your pursuit of graduate study and postdoctoral training. Together with the superb professional staff of the School of Graduate Studies I and my team of associate deans are eager to answer your questions about Concordia or to refer you directly to the Graduate Program Directors in your chosen field of study. We look forward to hearing from you and to working closely with you to achieve success and develop your academic and professional potential to the fullest.